Printer slotter feed



July 7, 1942. H. B. GREENWOOD PRINTER SLOTTER FEED Filed May 17, 1941 4Sheets-Sheet l HENRY B. GREE/vwooo July 7, 1942- H. B. GREENWOOD PRINTERSLOTTER FEED Filed May 17, 1941 4 SheeLS--Shet-V(l 2 i v 1H/vmbo@ HENRYB. Grec/vwo oc July 7, 1942. H. B. GREENWOOD PRINTER SLOTTER FEED FiledMay 17, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 /ENRr B rerslvwooo I QQOQMQwJV. l'

July 7, 1942*. H. B. GREENwooD 2,289,010

PRINTER SLOTTER FEED Filed May 17, 1941 `4 Sheets-Sheet 4 fle/MY B.GHEE/v'wo oo MTA/ESS n Patented `Iuly 7,k 1942 UNITED STATES PATENToFFIcE 2,289,010 PRINTER sLorTER FEEn Henry B. Greenwood, BaltimoreCounty, Md., as-

signor to F. X. Hooper Company, Inc., Glen Arm, Md., a corporation ofMaryland Application May 17, 1941, Serial No. 393,873

7 Claims.

The invention relates to printer slotters and similar machines in whichbox blanks or the like, of stiff and relatively thick manterial ascorrugated board or fiber board are fed from the bottom of a stack ofblanks resting on the table at the front of the machine by means ofreciprocating feed members which engage the front edge of each blank inturn and advance it into the bite of the rollers. The stack of blanks isspaced in front of the pull rollers by the gates, and the feed membersadvance each bottom blank in turn from the gates into the bite of therollers. As these rollers require a definite determinable period of timeto pass each blank of a given width in the direction of the feed, it isnecessary in order to accommodate the machine to the operation uponblanks of widely different widths to permit excessively wide spacesbetween the narrower blanks or to provide a suitable variation of theinterval between the feeding of the successive blanks so that the blanksnarrower than a given medium width dimension are fed at relatively shortintervals and those wider than this dimension are fed at longerintervals.

The feeding apparatus which is the subject of the present invention isof the type which is adapted in what may be for convenience termed itsnormal operation to feed relatively narrow blanks, and all blanks of awidth in the direction of the feed which is less than a widthpredetermined with reference to the ability of the machine to treat theblanks at normal or standard intervals, and to feed wider blanks atintervals of greater length than the standard feed intervals. Underthese circumstances, the narrowest blanks of those fed at normalintervals are in their progress through the machine quite widely spacedand the widest blanks in the same .class are closely related each to thenext.

As the function of the reciprocating feed is to advance the blanks fromthe gate into the bite of the pull rolls and the feed is adjustable tothe position of the front edge of the stack, the stroke of the feed neednot be adjustable. An essential limitation of the relation to the sizeof blanks to the timing of the feed is that the blanks shall not becomeoverlapped in the machine, the danger of overlapping being encounteredin connection with blanks wider than the predetermined standard width.

In the form of the machine which is the sub- J'ect of the invention thefront end of the stack is supported on carriers or supports mounted on across bar which extends across the front of the machine. This cross barand' these supports and the feed which latter is arranged, according toexisting practice, are adjustable to the width of the blanks in thedirection of feed and when blanks of a width greater than the'predetermined width are to be fed, this cross bar with its entire set ofcarriers or supports is raised at intervals, raising the front of thepack above thepath of the reciprocating feed members or hooks so that acorresponding proportion of the feeding strokes are renderedineffective. The intervals at which the front of the pack is thusraised, though they are, in theory, at least, subject to variation, areto best advantage equal to twice the interval of reciprocation of thefeed members, thus rendering every alternate feeding stroke, i. e., halfof the feeding strokes, ineffective to advance the blanks.

In this way, the reciprocating feed is changed from a timing suitable toone class ofr blanks of a width less than a predetermined widthy to atiming suitable to a wider class of blanks` exceeding this width andthis variation of the feed is accomplished without interference with theadjustment of the machine to the length of blank and with increasedsimplicity and rigidity of construction and greater uniformity andcertainty of operation.

The mechanism for raising the cross bar and front supports for theblanks or stack is connected to the driving mechanism by means of aclutch or equivalent means to be operated only when needed to reduce thenumber of effective feeding strokes per unit of time, for feeding blanksof excess width, as compared to those for which the timing of thereciprocating motion of the feed referred to as normal is selected ordetermined. I

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentaryv side elevation fof the front end of the feedtable showing the carriers and supports and transverse supporting'` barin their normal or lowermost position in relation to the table in whichposition the reciprocating feed makes engagement at every stroke with,theblank at the bottom of the stack.

Fig. 2 is a similar fragmentary vie,y ft ,same portion of the machinewith the carriersand supports and transverse supporting barg'raisedwhereby the stack is elevated, the bottom' blank being raised above thepath of the reciprocating feed. c u

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section on theline 3-3 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a top, plan View of the table showing the c'arriersandsupportsand transverse 4supporting bar, the feed members and the transverse feedbar.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevation of the portion of the machineimmediately to the rear of that shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section on the line -S in Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section on the line 1-1 in Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings by numerals each of which is used to indicatethe same or similar parts in the different gures, the construction showncomprises upright side frames I and 2, feed table 3 and feed gates 4,and pull rolls 5 and 6. The pull rolls 5 and 6 are provided on theirshafts 5' and 6' respectively with drive gears 1 and 8 secured to shafts5 and 6'. The gear 1 drives a toothed gear 9 to the left which drives agear I above it which, in turn, drives the upper pull roll gear 8.

'Ihe toothed gear I3 on the shaft 5 meshes with and drives a large gearwhich, in the form shown, is mounted directly beneath the pull rolls and6 on the shaft This gear is provided with a crank pin I2 which engages aslot I4 in the upright rocking lever I5 secured to a transverse shaftmounted in the frame of the machine according to the usual practice andnot shown. In this way a rocking motion is imparted to rocking levers I1on the same shaft rocking in a fore and aft plane at each side of themachine. These rocking arms |1 have pivotally connected to their upperends forwardly extending connecting rods I8 each of which is connectedat its forward end as by wrist pins I9 and depending brackets 20 to asliding feed bar 2 I. There are two of these feed bars 2| mounted toslide in suitable slots 22 in table 3, as best shown in the plane Fig.4, there being one said sliding feed bar at each side ofthe table 3.

These same sliding feed bars 2| are shown as mounted on ball bearingrollers 22 on tracks 23' in slots 22; and sliding bars 2| are connectedat their forward ends to a transverse feed bar 24, see Figs. l and 3,which is provided with a series of the usual feed members 25 forengaging the forward edge of each successive bottom sheet or blank 66 ofthe pack or stack 61, i. e., the edge at the right in Figs. l and 2.

The feed bar 24 is mounted for adjustment along the table in thedirection of the feed to correspond to the width of the blanks, being-secured in any desired position of adjustment relatively to the slidingbars 2|, by means of screw bolts 36 extending through runners 36 andengaging nuts 21. The runners 36 engage the upper slots 38 and the nuts39 are located on lower slots 38 both said slots extendinglongitudinally of said sliding feed bars 2| and being suitably connectedat 31 to pass bolts 36.

Transverse supporting bar 21 is shown in the form of an inverted channelthe exact form of cross section not being important. This cross j bar issecured at its respective ends in any suitable manner as` by means ofclamping screws 28 'andnuts 29 to the' longitudinal carrier bars at f3|-`-2t each side of the table. The blocks 30 supshown in cross sectionin Figs. 3 and 7, in which slot the nuts 29 areamounted being clamped bythe corresponding screws 28 in the desired position of adjustment of thetransverse supporting bar 21.

The transverse supporting bar 21 is provided with a series of forwardlyextending upright carriers 34 spaced transversely of table 3 andarranged alternately With the feed members 25, Fig. 4. These carriers 34are provided with projecting supportingplates 35 at the bottom of eachcarrier. The respective longitudinal carrier bars 3| and thsliding bars2| are preferably calibrated to show the proper positioning of the feedbar 24 and the transverse supporting bar 21 to correspond to sheets ofthe respective widths designated in said calibrations.

As already noted the transverse supporting bar 21 is clamped in anydesired position of adjustment relatively to the longitudinal carrierbars 3| by means of the clamping screws 28 operated by handles 28 andengaging the nuts 29 in slots 33. In this way the carriers 34 areadjusted to the width of the blanks.

As already suggested, the longitudinal carrier bars 3| are pivotallymounted in a stationary portion of the machine, the pivots beingindicated by reference character 40 at the rear side of the table and itis by raising these bars simultaneously as hereinafter described thatthe transverse supporting bar 21 with the carriers 34 and supports 35are raised at intervals whereby a portion of the feeding stroke of thefeed members or hooks 25 carried by the feed bar 24 are renderedinoperative, the pack 61 of blanks being raised so that the front edgeof lower blank 66 is above the path of these members.

It being the sole function of feeder members 25, according to the usualpractice, to advance the successive bottom blanks 66 or particularly therear edges thereof from the gate 4 to the grip of the -pull rolls 5 and6, no very close adjustment of the feed has been found necessary.Accordn ing to the form of the ivention shown, the revciprocations ofthe feed bar 24 and feed member 25 are timed to feed the blanks in sucha way that the blanks of a. Width in the direction of the feed whichcorresponds to the circumference of the operating rolls as printingrolls are fed in close relation of the forward edge of one to the rearedge of the next. These rolls measure from 50 to 60 inches more or less.

When narrower blanks are employed the'spacing is increased andV whenblanks of a width greater than the width thus determined which may beabout 50 inches, are to be operated upon. the forward edge of the packis raised at every alternate reciprocation of the feed 24, and 25, thusmaking half of the feeding strokes ineec tive, otherwise the blankswould overlap.

According to the construction shown, carrier bars 3| are provided eachwith a depending bracket 4| in which is mounted a cam roller 42 engaginga cam 43 at each side of the machine gli asrotating shaft 44 controlledby a clutch 45,

According to the construction shown, the shaft 44 is driven byA asprocket 46 rotating freely thereon and driven in a manner to bedescribed and there is a clutch member 41 keyed to the shaft 44 by wayof a key 48. The clutch 45 comprises clutch teeth 45' and these teethare thrown into and out of engagement by sliding the clutch member 41along the shaft 44 by manual engagementof the wheel 49. The clutch isheld in engagement by a spring ball lock comprising spring pressed ball50 and socket 50 and it is held in a disengaged position by thevseating: of the ball 50 in a second ball cavity 5I. i

The sprocket 46, see Fig. 5, is driven by a chain 54 operated by asprocket 55 on the shaft 58 mounted in suitable bearings in the machineframe and driven by a toothed gear 59 which meshes with and is driven bya gear B on a shaft 6l which is, in turn, driven by a toothed gear 62,meshing with the toothed gear Il which is timed with the machine andwhich operates the reciprocating feed. The drawings are more or lessdiagrammatic, there being no attempt to illustrate the precise gearratio.

The operation of the invention will be easily understood from thedescription and preamble. When blanks of a known width in inchesmeasured in the direction of feed are to be operated upon, both thetransverse feed bar 24 with its feed members 25 and the transversesupporting bar 21 with carriers 34 and supports 35 are set in accordancewith suitable calibrations on the sliding feed bars 2| and the carrierbars 3l for the transverse supporting bar 21, bolts 36 and 28' beingunclamped and reclamped in suitable adjustment for this purpose.Otherwise, the machine may be adjusted independently of the calibrationsto the blanks themselves.

If the blanks are of a width in the direction of feed greater than awidth predetermined by the operative members of the machine as printingor creasing rolls which may be for convenience fixed at 50, the normallyreleased clutch 45 is engaged whereby the cams 43 on the shaft 44 areplaced in operation and the carriers 34 and supports 35 are raised atsuitable intervals to render inoperative every alternate feeding strokeof the bar 24 and feed members 25.

In accordance with the construction shown, the speed of rotation ofshaft 44 is half that of the gear ll, and the cams 43 so designed sothat at these relative speeds they elevate the carrier bars 3|, carriers34 and supports 35 for successive intervals corresponding to everyalternate stroke of the bar 24 which, according to the arrangementdescribed provides for feeding the blanks of Widths in the direction ofthe feed which as greater than the standard width, chosen forconvenience of description at 50 inches, depending entirely on the sizeof the rolls.

If blanks of a width less than the above arbitrarily selected standardare to be operated upon, the clutch 45 is released by moving the clutchmember 41 to the left in Fig. 6 overcoming the engagement of the ball 50with its socket 50 and disengaging the teeth 45' and moving the clutchmember 41 to a position in which the ball 50 engages the socket 5I, inwhich position the clutch is held released and the rotation of gear 46fails to rotate the shaft 44 and the cams 43.

Under these circumstances, the carriers 34 remain in their lowermostposition as shown in Fig. l, and each successive feeding stroke of thebar 24 and feed member 25 is effective, it being understood, as alreadypointed out, that feed members 25 engage the front edge of each bottomblank 66 between the spaced carriers 34.

` An important accomplishment of the improvement consists in the factthat the adjustment of feed bar 24 with its feed members 25 andtransverse supporting bar 21 with the carriers 34 and their abutmentsurfaces 34' are as and precisely the same as if there were noarrangement for raising the front of the stack and thus rendering aportion of the feeding strokes inoperative to accommodate a range ofblank sizes greater than could be accommodated by the normal operationof the feed. On the other hand, in the prior art constructions for thispurpose complicated, troublesome and expensive devices have beenresorted to for this purpose and with some of those shown in the patentsadjustment is so difficult, that they have never come into practicaluse. i,

Having thus described kmy invention and the manner of constructing, andusing the same, I would have it understood that the description isspecific and in detail in order that the manner of constructing,applying, operating and using the invention may be fully understood,however. the specific terms herein are used in a descriptive rather thanin a limiting sense, the scope of the invention being defined in theclaims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine of the printer slotter type for operation upon boxblanks, said machine having a feed table for a stack of blanks and pullrolls, and gates for spacing the blanks from the pull rolls, thecombination of longitudinal carrier bars, a transverse supporting barmounted on the carrier bars and spaced abutments and supports for thefront edge of the stack mounted on said transverse bar, said transversebar and said abutments being adjustable along said carrier bars toconform to the width of the blanks in the direction of feed,reciprocating feed members engaging the rear edge of the successivebottom blanks between said abutments, and means for raising the carrierbars and the transverse bar and sup ports at intervals corresponding tothe alternate strokes of the reciprocating feed, thus raising the frontof the stack of blanks whereby the bottom blank is removed from the pathof the feed members at intervals corresponding to alternate strokes ofthe feed.

2. In a machine of the printer slotter type for operating on box blanksof stiff material, said machine having a table for supporting a stack ofblanks to be fed, a gate for positioning the rear of the stack andadapted to release each bottom blank in turn and a reciprocating feedhaving means adapted to engage the front edge of each bottom blank ofsaid stack, in turn to advance the blank, the combination of carrierbars extending along said table in the direction of feed and free toswing upwardly at their forward ends, a transverse supporting means nearthe front of the table and mounted on said carrier bars for supportingthe front of the pack, and means for raising said carrier bars atregular intervals in time with a predetermined proportion of the strokesof the feed moving the bottom blank out of the path of the feed.

3. In a printer slotter having a feed table adapted to support a stackof blanks of stiff material and a reciprocating feed, having means forengaging the front edge of each bottom blank in turn, a transversesupporting bar extending across the table and having supports for thefront edge of the stack projecting rearwardly, carrier bars extendingalong the table in the direction of the feed on which carrier bars thetransverse supporting bar is mounted for adjustment in the direction offeed to accommodate blanks of different Widths and means controllable bythe operator for raising the carrier bars at intervals corresponding toalternate feeding strokes whereby the bottom blank is removed from thepath of the feeding means.

4. In a printer slotter having a feed table adapted to support a stackof blanks of sti material and a reciprocating feedghaving means forengaging the front edge of each bottom blank in turn, a transversesupporting bar extending across the table and having supports for thefront edge of the stack projecting rearwardly, said bar having means forpositioning the front of the stack, carrier bars extending along thetable in the direction of the feed on which carrier bars the transversesupporting bar is mounted for adjustment in the direction of feed toaccommodate blanks of different widths and means controllable by theoperator for raising the carrier bars at intervals corresponding toalternate feeding strokes whereby the bottom blank is removed from thepath of the feeding means.

5. In a printer slotter having a table for a stack of blanks and areciprocating feed for the blanks, a carrier bar extending along saidtable in the direction of feed, a support for the front of the stack onsaid bar and means for raising said bar and said support at intervalscoinciding with predetermined strokes of the feed moving the stack outof the path of the feed and rendering said strokes ineffective.

6. In a printer slotter having a. table for a stack of blanks and areciprocating feed for the blanks, a carrier bar extending along saidtable in the direction of feed, a support for the front of the stack onsaid bar adjustable along the bar which is pivotally mounted at the rearand means for raising said bar and said support at intervals coincidingwith predetermined strokes of the feed moving the stack out of the pathof the feed and rendering said strokes ineffective.

7. In a machine of the printer slotter type for operating on box blanksof stiff material, said machine having a table for supporting a stack ofblanks to be fed, means for positioning the rear of the stack andadapted to release each bottom blank in turn and a reciprocating feedhaving means adapted to engage the front edge of each bottom blank ofsaid stack, in turn to advance the blank, the combination of atransverse supporting bar near the front of the table mounted formovement in an approximately vertical direction and having spacedsupports for the pack adapted to engage beneath the front edge of thepack, means operatively related to the bar for raising said supportingbar at regular intervals in time with a predetermined proportion of thestrokes of said feed moving the bottom blank out of the path'of saidreciprocating feed, and means controlled by the operator for throwingsaid operatively related means into and out of its operative relation tosaid bar.

I-IENRY B. GREENWOOD.

